Enhanced Phosphorus Management Tool (PMT) Regulations Unveiled in Maryland
ANNAPOLIS – Governor Larry Hogan Monday unveiled enhanced Phosphorus Management Tool (PMT) regulations as part of a broader “Maryland Agriculture Phosphorus Initiative,” which will further Maryland’s efforts to improve water quality, strengthen the agricultural industry, and bolster rural economies.
“We have listened to the agricultural and environmental communities to find a fair and balanced plan for limiting phosphorus, and I am pleased to announce the details of that solution today,” said Governor Hogan. “The enhanced phosphorus management tool regulations and the broader Agriculture Phosphorus Initiative will protect water quality in the Chesapeake Bay while still supporting a vibrant agriculture industry in Maryland. We are providing immediate action to limit pollution, investing in new technology, seeking alternative uses for manure, and improving on-farm management of animal manures – none of which were included in the previous proposals.”
“I am excited that Maryland farmers have stepped up and proposed progressive steps that will accelerate our efforts to improve water quality while maintaining a viable industry,” said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder.
Key Enhancements to the Phosphorus Management Tool Regulations
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Ensure adequate time for farmers to fully understand and plan for new requirements.
- The proposal shifts the seven-year implementation schedule originally proposed such that all farms will start implementing the PMT one year later, effective 2016, with full implementation in 2022.
- This shift preserves the provision to allow farmers two full years to have nutrient management plans developed using both the existing Phosphorus Site Index (PSI) and the new PMT before management changes are required.
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Assure agricultural producers that critical elements are available for implementation.
- The state will evaluate key elements that need to be in place, including: markets to relocate additional amounts of manure; adequate infrastructure to handle and transport manure; and alternative uses and new technologies to begin to provide new outlets and markets for animal manures.
- Evaluations of these elements will be conducted for each respective tier as it prepares to transition from each management level and to full PMT implementation.
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Enact an immediate ban of additional phosphorus on soils highest in phosphorus.
- Upon adoption of the regulations, fields with a soil Fertility Index Value (FIV) of 500 or greater will be banned from receiving additional phosphorus until the PMT is fully implemented, currently scheduled for 2022.
- These are the fields that are at the highest risk of phosphorus potentially leaving the farm and entering nearby waterways.
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Provide comprehensive information on soil phosphorus conditions statewide.
- Beginning in 2016 and every six years thereafter, soil test phosphorus data will be collected for all farms in Maryland subject to nutrient management plan requirements.
- This data will provide the Maryland Department of Agriculture with accurate soil fertility data to monitor trends in phosphorus levels and help identify potential areas to redistribute newly available manure.
In addition to the enhanced PMT regulations, the wider “Agriculture Phosphorus Initiative” will include an on-farm economic analysis project that will start when the enhanced PMT regulations are promulgated.
Governor Hogan’s Agriculture Phosphorus Initiative also includes funding for the Animal Waste Technology Grant Fund for new technologies to improve manure management, create new sources of energy and products made from animal manure, and improve water quality.
The administration will also provide additional resources for the Maryland Department of Agriculture to offset economic impacts of implementing the more stringent environmental requirements on farms.
Additional information is available at www.mda.maryland.gov/pmt
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 15: Life on Land
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
- SDG 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises.
- SDG 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
- SDG 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
- SDG 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought, and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
- Indicator 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment, by sex
- Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added
- Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement
- Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally. | 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises. | 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment, by sex |
| SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes. | 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought, and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. | 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area |
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Source: baytobaynews.com
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